NFL Week 15: Nostalgic Preview

NFL Week 15 kicks off Thursday with the Chargers vs Chiefs and continues with two games Saturday, a dozen Sunday, and one more on Monday. Only three weeks left in the regular season for teams to make their moves in the playoff pictures.

In preparation of what’s to come, we look backwards at how each team has fared against each other in recent matchups.

(Note: we excluded divisional games since those teams see each other twice every year).

Two games on Saturday

Texans @ Jets

This will be the 8th meeting all-time. The Jets hold a 5-2 advantage, but the Texans have won the two most recent matchups in 2012 and 2015. Including the Giants, the Texans are 1-5 all-time at MetLife Stadium.

The last time the Jets beat the Texans was Week 11 of the 2010 season. Matt Schaub started at QB for the Texans and Mark Sanchez started for the 8-2 Jets, who would go on to the AFC Championship game that season. Jets led that game 23-7 early in the 4th, but the Texans climbed back and actually took a 27-23 lead late, until a Sanchez touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 10 seconds remaining.

Browns @ Broncos

The “new Browns” have NEVER beaten the Broncos. The new Browns, meaning the ones that became reborn as an expansion team in 1999, are 0-7 vs the Broncos and the Browns as a whole have last 11 straight games.

1990 was the last time Cleveland beat Denver, when Broncos exec John Elway played QB against Bernie Kosar.

Sunday’s non-divisional games

Cowboys @ Colts

Cowboys have won the last three games against the Colts. This streak started in 2006, when the 9-0 Colts came to Dallas and lost their first game of the season, 21-14. Peyton Manning threw 2 interceptions and Reggie Wayne (111 yards) and Marvin Harrison (94 yards) combined for 13 catches in the loss. Tony Romo didn’t throw a touchdown for Dallas but was a very efficient 19-23 for 226 yards.

In 2010, the Colts lost to a Jon Kitna-led 4-8 Cowboys team and in 2014 the Cowboys won 42-7 with Romo completing 18 of 20 passes and throwing 4 touchdowns.

The last time the Colts beat the Cowboys was 2002. This was Dave Campo’s last year as Cowboys head coach and the year before Bill Parcells took over. Chad Hutchinson started at QB for the Cowboys.

Redskins @ Jaguars

Jaguars have beaten the Redskins just once in six all-time meetings. Two of the last three Redskins wins have come in overtime and the most recent one, in 2014 was a 41-10 blow out.

The Jaguars lone win came in 2002, beating the Redskins 26-7, behind Fred Taylor’s 82 yards and a touchdown. Mark Brunell started at QB for the Jaguars. Brunell spent the first 9 years of his career with the Jaguars, before moving on to the Redskins for the next four (2004-2007).

That 2002 season was Steve Spurrier’s first of two as head coach of the Redskins. QB Shane Matthews threw 50 total passes in the loss (completing just 27)

Eagles @ Rams

This is a battle between the #1 and #2 picks in the 2016 NFL draft, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. The Eagles have won 5 in a row against the Rams, with the Rams last win coming in 2004. That Rams team was led by QB Marc Bulger, RB Steven Jackson (148 yards, TD), and WRs Torry Holt (75 yards) and Isaac Bruce (98 yards, TD). That 2004 season was the last time the Rams had made the playoffs prior to last year’s breakthrough.

Dolphins @ Vikings

This is a huge game for both teams as they are both in the thick of their respective wild card races. The Dolphins have actually won three straight against the Vikings, with their most recent meeting coming in 2014.

Vikings last win over the Dolphins came in 2002. That Vikings team included future Dolphins QB Dante Culpepper and superstar WR Randy Moss, while the Dolphins were led by Jay Fiedler and Ricky Williams.

Cardinals @ Falcons

Falcons have won four of the last five against the Cardinals, with Arizona’s lone win coming three meetings ago, in 2013. The biggest impact for both teams came from two guys who are no longer in the league – Cardinals RB Andre Ellington exploded for 150 yards and a touchdown and Falcons WR Harry Douglas caught 12 passes for 121 yards.

Raiders @ Bengals

Bengals have won three of the last four meetings, including the two most recent games in 2015 and 2012 by an average score of 33-12.

The Raiders last win came in 2009. QB Bruce Gradkowski got the win for the Raiders, who would wind up signing as a free agent with the Bengals two years later. Carson Palmer took the loss and would find himself in Oakland as their starting QB a few years later, in 2011. The move to Oakland reunited him with his former Offensive Coordinator and current “special assistant” in Cincinnati, Hue Jackson. Jackson actually won 8 games in 2011, his only year with the Raiders. Earlier this year, when Jackson was still the head coach of the Browns, they lost to the Raiders.

Bucs @ Ravens

Ravens lead the all-time series 3-2 against the Bucs. Tampa Bay won the first two games and the Ravens have won the last three with the most recent meeting coming in 2014. In all 5 games, the losing team has averaged 5 ppg (two shutouts and a high of 17). Bucs won 25-0 in 2002, the year they would go on to win the Super Bowl.

Lions @ Bills

Bills have won four of five against the Lions. The Lions last win came in 2006 in an incredible QB duel between Jon Kitna and JP Losman. Bills offense was full of playmakers (outside of QB) with Willis McGahee at RB and a WR duo of Peerless Price and Lee Evans. Lions got 161 yards and a touchdown out of WR Roy Williams.

Lions are 1-3-1 all-time in Buffalo, with the lone win coming in 1991. Current Colts head coach, Frank Reich, started at QB for the Bills and threw 2 touchdowns in the win.

Titans @ Giants

Giants won the most recent game in 2014, 36-7. Prior to that, they lost 5 in a row against the Titans/Oilers. As the “Houston Oilers”, the franchise was 5-0 against the Giants, between 1973-1994